About Fiberglass Insulation

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Silica, or other glass making material, is extruded into fibers which have a narrow enough diameter to be used in textile fabrication, you then have glass fibers. Even when it becomes a fiber, glass retains little crystalline structure, which is different than most other polymers. Glass that has been spun into fiber has qualities very much the same as softened glass. Glass is somewhat unique in that its composition during its liquid and solid state stays fairly consistent; however cooling it increases its viscosity enough that that it appears rigid. This process is reversible with the reapplication of heat.

While using glass fibers in the textile making process is relatively new, the method of creating glass fibers has been around for centuries. Fiberglass was first produced for commercial purposed in 1936. Two companies joined together in 1938, Owens-Illinois Glass Company and Corning Glass Works, creating Owens-Corning Fiberglass Corporation, with the distinct goal of producing and promoting fiberglass. They were the first to introduce continuous filament glass fibers, and continue to be an industry leader in the production of fiberglass.

Fibers that are incredibly thin are used to make fiberglass. The glass serves to strengthen a variety of plastic products. This plastic material reinforced with glass is technically called glass-reinforced plastic (GRP) or glass-fiber reinforced epoxy (GRE), but is commonly called fiberglass.

Using glass fibers is nothing new; people have been experimenting with them throughout history. The process that is used to make modern fiberglass, however, required the relatively modern invention of specialized tooling. We see a dress exhibited at the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition by Edward Drummond Libbey which used glass fibers that were the texture and diameter of silk fibers. We see the invention of what we now refer to fiberglass in 1938 by Russell Games Slayter who was an employee of Owens Corning. He specifically designed the material to be used as insulation and it was given the trade name Fiberglass.

There has been a large increase in the amount of different insulation products available as construction material technology as improved over the last several years. In the beginning of the last century most of the insulation products were natural materials, but this changed as manufactured products like asbestos and foam sheeting were introduced. Insulation now comes in a variety of types, including rigid foam, loose fill, blanket or roll products, and soundproofing products.

All building materials, including insulation, are given what is called an R value. An R value is a number that shows the products ability to provide thermal insulation. You will see lower R values on walls with light insulation or insulation that was improperly installed and so does not function correctly.

Some Examples of Home Insulation Products
Loose fill insulation requires a specialized tool that blows small pellets of fiberglass into particular areas. Loose fill insulation, which is now usually fabricated without the use of formaldehyde, works great in hard to reach places such as attics and confined spaces. Contractors can achieve R values as high as R-60 with a liberal amount of loose fill insulation.

Another form of insulation is rigid foam board insulation, which is fabricated from Styrofoam or similar material. You can also find rigid panels of soundproofing materials, although it is most commonly found as semi rigid mats or sheets. When insulated concrete forms (ICFs) are used in construction you will usually see it surrounded by rigid foam insulation on either side to give an R value of up to R-40.

The truth is that almost 50% of any energy bill comes from the costs to heat and cool your home.

Remember all the energy saving tips your parents used to give you when you were a child? Turn off the lights as you leave the room, close the door behind you, and don’t leave appliances running when you are not using them. While these are all good ideas, and do help lower overall energy bills, they account for just a small portion of overall energy costs. The truth is that almost 50% of any energy bill comes from the costs to heat and cool your home.

Truly Effective Energy Saving Tips
Applying adequate insulation to your home may be the most important energy saving tip of all. Installing insulation will lower energy costs, but will also make your home more comfortable with a more consistent temperature. Another great benefit of having a well insulated home is that it cuts down on the outside noise that enters the home.

Insulation, as well as all building materials, is sold with what is called an R value which describes how well it provides thermal insulation. The most effective insulation has a high R value. Different R values will be needed depending on the climate conditions in the area you live. You can find lots of great information on the Internet by looking at sites provided by both government and private sources.

While most homes have insulation in the walls, ceilings, and floors, it is also important to install insulation in the corners, attics, and ceiling beams, the so called interstitial spaces of your home. Other ways to lower energy costs and seal your home include the use of weather stripping and other air sealing techniques. You can find lots of great information about sealing your home over the Internet, from both private and government sources.

The most common type of insulation used in residential application is fiberglass. Some reasons for its popularity are its ease of installation and relatively low cost. One type of fiberglass insulation is panel insulation, which is a standard sized easily installed blanket that provides a high R value. These panels are pre-cut into pieces that will fit nicely into just about any standard sized wall opening without additional trimming.

The fluffy glass we know as fiberglass is made of real glass that has been melted and then spun into a cotton candy consistency. The heating process burns away any impurities in the glass, which results in a white fluffy finished product. To make the product easier to see fiberglass is usually tinted with either pink or yellow dye.

Fiberglass Panel Insulation for Homes
Would you be surprise to learn that almost half of your energy bills come as the result of either heating or cooling your home? When you think about how much you are spending to keep your home at a comfortable temperature you can see what a great investment insulation really is. Fiberglass panel insulation works by keeping the warm or cold air from escaping from your home, depending on the season.

There is usually a standard gap between the beams used for walls and ceiling in most homes. Panel insulation is cut to size for these standard gaps, so it can be easily installed without lots of trimming. Panel insulation is sold in a roll, and the only cut that usually needs to be made is to get the appropriate length.

When it comes time to either build a new home or remodel an old one you may want to consider installing a high RS insulation wrap. This is a barrier style insulation that is very effective at reflecting heat back toward its source. You can greatly reduce heat transfer in your home by installing this reflective material anywhere this transfer is likely to occur.

These high RS insulation wraps can be installed without too much effort or cost, and have made their way into a wide variety of both residential and commercial applications. A common residential application of high RS insulation wraps is under the roofing material. By installing this radiant barrier under the roof you protect the home from almost all the heat that it would normally absorb from solar energy.

One of the great things about high RS insulation wraps is that they are constructed of a clean, non-irritating material. Foil wraps are much safer to handle than fiberglass or other insulation types that have small particles that can irritate the lungs and skin. Another benefit of high RS insulation is that it is much less expensive that purchasing several rolls of fiberglass insulation.

Another great application for foil wraps is insulating water heaters. While most new water heaters come wrapped in an insulating coating, applying a foil wrap can help save you money by protecting against heat loss. A foil wrap around your water heater will reflect the heat back toward to the water heater, rather than having it escape into the air around it.

Insulation with a high R values will help to keep the heat in your home and save you money on your energy costs. You will see the most benefit from high R value insulation in cold climates, as it is the most effective insulation at preventing heat loss. The term R value is used to describe the ability of an insulation product to prevent heat transfer, the insulation will function more effectively the higher its R value.

Different climates will have different R value requirements, and therefore need different insulation products. You will not need a high R value product if you live in a very warm climate. Besides R value another important consideration when choosing insulation is its ability to reduce air leaks.

Construction of both residential and commercial structures regularly utilizes three separate types of high R value insulation. The most common type of insulation used in residential applications is of fiberglass insulation blankets, which are often sold in width perfect for fitting into the space between beams.

Blow in insulation is used for areas where accessibility is difficult, such as eaves and irregular crawl spaces. With this type of insulation small pieces of fiber are literally blown into the space using specialized equipment. To help protect against settling, which could lesson its effectiveness, many of the blow in products are coated with a special adhesive.